Biomed Radio - Washington University School Of Medicine In St. Louis

Shedding light on possible contributors to autism, schizophrenia and other neuro-psychiatric disorders, Washington University researchers have found that a type of support cell in the brain, called an astrocyte, may play a role in the ability of neurons to communicate. The scientists found, in culture, that without astrocytes, communication between neurons is slowed. THE MOST STUDIED CELLS IN THE BRAIN ARE CALLED NEURONS, BUT THEY AREN’T THE MOST NUMEROUS. THERE ARE MORE SUPPORT CELLS, CALLED OLIGODENDROCYTES AND ASTROCYTES, THAN NEURONS IN THE BRAIN. AND A RESEARCH TEAM FROM WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE IN ST. LOUIS SAYS IT’S IMPORTANT THAT SCIENTISTS FOCUS ON MORE THAN ONLY NEURONS WHEN STUDYING THE BRAIN. THEY’VE FOUND THAT THE SUPPORT CELLS CALLED ASTROCYES ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT AND FUNCTION OF NEURONS. JIM DRYDEN REPORTS… SUPPORT CELLS LIKE ASTROCYTES ARE MORE THAN JUST THE “GLUE” THAT HOLDS THE BRAIN TOGETHER. THOSE CELLS PERFORM IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS THAT MAKE IT POS